Burn
by burning-atmosphere
Summary: "His mind and body were engulfed with a white hot rage. He used to convince himself the fire was just anger. But he knew what it really was. It was jealousy. Envy. That's what burned him. She burned him." Makorra/Tahorra


Hello again,

This is just something. I don't know what it is. But if you hate it, that's okay. But I prefer if you don't vocalize your hate.

Listen to this song because it's fantastic.

Burn - Ray LaMontagne

* * *

He hated it. The feeling he had. It was like everything burned. His mind and body were engulfed with a white hot rage. He used to convince himself the fire was just anger. But he knew what it really was. It was _jealousy._ Envy. That's what burned him. _She_ burned him.

She filled every thought he had. He wished he could just hear her voice again. He was desperate to hear her voice, he was lost without it.

He hated watching them together. It was almost painful, the fire inside him coursed through his body seeking an escape. It flowed through his veins and pulsed through his core. Of course, as she had pointed out, he didn't have to watch, but that was nearly impossible. The way that jerk flaunted her around. He showed her off like she was some trophy. Like he'd won her.

He had won though. She had picked him. He believed the fire they had was still there. They could salvage it. He was the embers, still burning. He was just waiting for her to strike the match.

They had both acknowledged their feelings for each other. Korra had understood that it wasn't right for him to leave Asami, especially not after her father being an Equalist came out and that he was now target of the city. She had simply nodded and said it was okay. He thought that eventually Asami would be okay. That he would be able to leave her. The love he had for her was more friendship than anything anyway. Their relationship was more like a match waiting to burn out. With Korra, everything was on fire. The kiss they had shared was enough for him. It was true. They should be together. What they had was not like anything he'd ever experienced. When they were together they were on fire. They met each other hit for hit when the sparred and they could argue for hours about almost nothing. Mako was still with Asami though.

Then came the turn. Asami had been upset when she'd found that Korra and Mako kissed. She understood though, she wasn't stupid. The looks and the fire between them was obvious. She hadn't broken up with Mako though. But on the island Mako and Korra were constantly arguing. They'd fight over everything. So Bolin and Asami would be left to converse while the two of them dueled. She'd found herself laughing at everything he said. He was endearing, sweet and funny. He was always there to help out and knew how to show her a good time too. She realized that what she felt for Mako was burning out. Then when Bolin had finally spoke up about his feelings, whatever she had with Mako was done.

"Korra, please. Just...just stay," Mako looked at her with fire in his eyes. She was leaving, leaving to be with him. He just wanted to keep their embers burning as long as he could.

"Why would I stay?" Korra asked, softly. Her cerulean eyes met his amber ones. He knew that he gave her no good reason. He had none. He had nothing. "You only want me because you're going to lose me."

"No! It's not that. I...I have always wanted you," Mako tried to step toward her. He needed her, needed to touch her, to hold her. He wanted to show her, for her to feel the fire between them again. Then she'd understand. She stepped back. She knew that if they got to close that she might give in. She did have feelings for him, they were there underneath the surface. Just like him, her embers burned, just barely aglow. She feared if she got too close, she would burn. But it wasn't fair to her. She tried her hardest to put out the embers, to let them go out for good. But he always found a way to light them again. With his rare smile, his soft laugh, his passion, with all those things he burned her right back. But then waves had come in and dampened the raging fire, but the flames remained. Glowing dimly past the ocean that filled her.

"That's funny...I didn't think that when I found out you and Asami were staying together." She turned again and began walking to the door. She was done with this, with him. She needed to move on. She was the Avatar. She had a million better things to do than argue with Mako. She started to feel calm. The waves would come soon enough, covering her, protecting her from the burn.

"So that's it? You're going to go off and be with him? It's not even real, it's out of spite. You just want to get back at me!" Mako yelled at her. She whirled on her heel. It looked as though she had spun on the air, how gracefully she moved. Flames flitted out of her fists. Her fire burned, but not because of love. She was angry now. She was suddenly staring right into his eyes. Her face only inches from his. He could almost taste her. Her delicious smell smacked him in the face. He wanted nothing more at that moment to silence her with a kiss, but then she really would have burned him.

"How can you even think that? Not everything is about you Mako! You thought I'd just wait around for you? That's not the way it's going to work." Korra screeched at him. He could almost see her anger seething from her limbs. She leaned back, putting a distance between their faces. Her voice was raw and firm this time. "You thought I'd just wait until you and Asami broke up. Then I'd swoon that you finally wanted me. That now you decided we could be together that I would be happy with that. But she dumped you Mako. She dumped you for your brother and I moved on."

"To Tahno!" Mako yelled back.

Saying his name disgusted him. The idea that Korra was with him. It made him furious. Tahno had swooped in while Asami had still been in the picture. He charmed her and got her sympathy because he'd lost his bending. She promised to help him strictly for her Avatar duties. Then they'd found that whatever Amon did to him was reversible. His bending was one of the first to come back. Then he reminded her of the promised private lessons. She had agreed, eager to learn and escape the days on the Air Temple with Bolin, Asami and Mako. Private lessons soon became dates, dates turned into a relationship, and that relationship had turned into Tahno asking Korra to marry him.

Mako had vehemently argued with her. He had yelled at her more times than he could count. Naming a million reasons, he believed to be good enough proof that she shouldn't go out with him. She would just shake her head. She didn't have to argue with him at all because all it took was one word to silence him.

Asami.

"Tahno was there for me when all of you weren't!" Korra reminded him. Her eyes darkened remembering that night. Amon had taken all of them. When they broke out of captivity both bending brothers ran off to save Asami, leaving Korra alone. She had been almost home free when the Lieutenant found her. He bound her and repeatedly shocked her, almost to the point of fainting. Then Tahno had appeared out of nowhere and took the Lieutenant down from behind and nursed Korra back to health until the brothers showed up to take her back to the temple.

He shrunk back, looking defeated. Mako couldn't deny it. He couldn't deny any of it. He'd messed up. Now he was suffering the consequence. He was being a sore loser too. Begging for her to choose him. But how could he not fight for the person he loved the most?

"Kor?" they heard a voice call from outside. "Are you ready to go?"

Korra looked over her shoulder, there he was. The victor, her fiancee, Tahno himself. He hadn't been rude to Mako since they'd begun dating. He had even gone as far as apologizing for everything he'd said. Mako didn't believe a second of it. It was all to win Korra over. Mako balled his hands into fists, the fire threatening to spit out of them.

"Yeah, I'm ready," She looked again at Mako. Her eyes were met his watery ones. He'd blame it on the air. The smoke that had arisen from the fiery fight, but they both knew it wasn't true. "I'm sorry Mako. I'll see you around, okay?"

With that she turned and put out any fire that was left between them. But she left him burning. He watched as Tahno's hands cupped her face. He tilted her mouth up to meet his, letting his hands tighten around her waist and cheek. It was a brief kiss, but it still burned. She smiled at him softly and didn't look back once as they walked out. It just proved that it was over. Mako had lost. The fire had been extinguished. He was the embers.

He was left standing there, burning in his skin.

* * *

On the other hand, if you love it, I'd love to hear about it :)

-Rachel


End file.
